


Time to Get Ill

by CommanderBunnBunn



Series: The Sounds of Science [1]
Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Gen, Jack Dalton (MacGyver TV 2016) Whump, Riley Davis & Angus MacGyver are Siblings, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:02:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27770446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CommanderBunnBunn/pseuds/CommanderBunnBunn
Summary: Send an ask of a fic premise that 100% sounds like the kind of thing I would write, and I'll tell you how embarrassingly accurate it is:For the plot you would write: Jack is not feeling great, but not admitting it - after all he's not as young as he used to be, just tired, nothing to worry about... Riley & Mac aren't buying it, but they are trying to give him his space, so they're parked out front of his apartment (waiting long enough that they can check on him with a valid excuse). When they let themselves in some time later, Jack answers sheepishly, from where he's sitting in the base of the shower - totally about to  get up.
Series: The Sounds of Science [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2031562
Comments: 4
Kudos: 22





	Time to Get Ill

**Author's Note:**

  * For [starrylizard](https://archiveofourown.org/users/starrylizard/gifts).



Riley stares at her phone in the passenger seat of the Jeep, trying to rationalize with herself, “I mean he’s not wrong, he’s like 45. He’s done nothing but complain about his joints, his eyes... his gas...for the last few months. Something about that birthday just set off a chain reaction of complaints and old people problems.”

“True, but that doesn’t explain how sweaty he was...” Mac counters.

“Hot flashes?”

“Riles, it’s not menopause. And his eyes were bloodshot, his cheeks flushed; he spent way too much time in the bathroom. And have you seen him eat...anything at all in the last 2 days?”

She ponders for a moment, “oh god, no!” She looks at her watch again, “how long’s it been since we called? Let’s try again, and if he doesn’t answer this time, we’re going in.”

“Half an hour ago he said he was fine and was going to get a shower and get the heating pad out for his lower back.”

“Ok, it’s been long enough.” she decides and dials Jack’s number. When he doesn’t answer her eyebrows draw together with concern, much like Jack’s do. 

“Maybe he fell asleep? He does like to nap.” Mac tries to reassure himself but isn’t convinced.

“But he also answers his phone when I call.” She tucks her phone into her pocket and opens the door, hopping out without waiting on Mac to commiserate.

Mac knocks on Jack’s front door and announces themselves, “Jack, it’s us, we’re coming in.” He turns the knob slowly and opens the door even more deliberately, not wanting to walk in on a buck naked Jack sleeping on an old military cot in the middle of the living room...again. 

They creep in quietly as not to startle Jack in case he’s sleeping in his bedroom. Bumping into things in Jack’s apartment is a good way to get yourself shot. 

“Jaaaaack?” Riley calls out, she knows he’s home. The jacket he was wearing earlier is discarded on the ground near the door and a path toward his bedroom is marked by discarded boots and socks. The door isn’t even closed, so he’s probably not sleeping.

They hear the shower running, but Jack’s not singing. Riley knocks on the bathroom door, plumes of steam still float out from the space underneath it. She asks in a calm but concerned voice, “Jack, are you ok in there?”

His voice is strained and gravelly, but she at least gets a reply, “yeah.”

“The windows in your bedroom are fogged up from the steam in the shower.” Mac adds, “you’ve been in there for a really long time. You want to come out now?”

“No.” 

The kids look to each other in silent agreement of their next course of action.

“I’m coming in.” Mac announces and opens the door, assaulted by a cloud of steam. Riley turns on the exhaust fan to try to clear the air.

Jack is seated in his bathtub with the water pummeling his legs that are red from the excessive heat. He’s slumped to one side with his head leaning against the tiled wall. “Can’t get warm,” he complains. His reddened cheeks a stark contrast to the rest of his face which is absent of color. 

Mac lowers himself to his knees on the floor mat and puts his hand to Jack’s forehead, of course it’s burning up. “Come on, big guy, we need to get you out of there.” 

“I was getting out, I swear.” Jack grumbles pathetically as Mac shuts off the water and Riley covers him with a towel. She ruffles his hair with a hand towel to shake some of the water out before drying his neck and shoulders with it. 

Mac pulls his arm across Jack’s shoulders and tucks his hand into Jack’s armpit, “Ok, on three we’re standing up. Ready?” 


End file.
